ALABAMA BAGGAGE Opens 3/9 at Theatre Asylum

LuluBelle Productions is set to present the world premiere of Alabama Baggage, a new drama written by Buddy Farmer, and directed by Paul Messinger, at Theatre Asylum in Hollywood. There will be one preview on Friday, March 8, and opening is Saturday, March 9 at 8pm, and Alabama Baggage will play a six-week engagement through April 14 only.

In a small town, in the wee hours of the night, a chance encounter between two strangers in a graveyard will forever change their lives. When buried secrets are unearthed, shattering revelations have them questioning what they each thought they knew to be true. Alabama Baggage draws a fine line between life and death, as it examines mercy, forgiveness, revenge and redemption.

Playwright Buddy Farmer made his living as an actor in theatre, film, and television for over 20 years, and began writing and directing plays in 2003. His first play, Coaches: Off the Bench with Knute, Vince, and The Bear received critical acclaim in Los Angeles and on its subsequent tour. Farmer later adapted the Knute section of that play into a TV mini-series; that adaptation became the basis for the book he wrote for the new musical Knute Rockne, All American, which opened last year just outside of Chicago, garnering rave reviews and several Jeff Award nominations. His next project is a musical adaptation of his one-act play The Viagra Monologues.

Paul Messinger has worked as a director in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and various places in between. He has worked on children's shows (The Christmas Princess), high dramas (Gentle Passage), and comedies (Ledge), among others. He also has an active career as an actor in episodics and commercials. Messinger serves as the director's unit head for Fierce Backbone.

The cast of Alabama Baggage will feature (in alphabetical order) Will Blagrove, John Combs, Jody Fasanella, William Jones, and Ashley McGee. The set design is by Bill Cole, lighting design is by Leigh Allen, and costume design is by Shannon Kennedy. The stage manager is Ashley Koenig. Alabama Baggage is presented by LuluBelle Productions, and produced by Theatre Planners.There will be one preview performance on Friday, March 8 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, March 9 at 8pm. Admission is $15 for the preview, and $25 for all regular performances. The running schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm through April 14 only. Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased online at www.plays411.com/baggage, or by calling (323) 960-7711.